The Influence of Gender on Determinants of Urban Childhood Mortality in Bangladesh

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Abstract
To assess sociodemographic characteristics predicting childhood mortality in urban Bangladesh, we conducted a case-control study of subjects selected from 51 low and middle class areas of urban Dhaka between 14 October 1984 and 13 October 1986. Cases were the 38 children who died aged under six years during the study interval; six surviving controls aged under six years were selected for each case. Factors associated with childhood deaths included being under oneyear of age (OR (odds ratio) = 11.80; p < 0.0001), and several direct and indirect indicators of poor economic status: ie head of household earning a daily wage rather than a salary (OR = 2.63; p < 0.01); residence in a single-room dwelling (OR = 2.63; p < 0.05); or residence in a structure of inferior construction (OR = 2.58; p < 0.05). There were important gender-specific differences in the risk factors. Having one or more male siblings was associated with an increased risk of death for male children (OR = 2.78; p < 0.05), while having at least one female sibling was suggestively associated with the risk of death for female children (OR = 2.47; p < 0.10). Family dependence on daily wages rather than on a salary was associated with male deaths (OR = 6.24; p < 0.001) but not with female deaths (OR = 1.38). Other indices of poverty (poor construction of house and single-room dwellings) were also associated with an increased risk of male but not female deaths.